It really doesn't work at all like it does in the states. There are no private schools here, so, by default, there is nothing like a Harvard.

BUT, it has been proven with numbers that UoT first and Osgoode second have a corporate law advantage at least in OCI hiring. Some say UBC too but their OCI numbers don't warrant this. If, on the other hand, you are interested in a Canadian law degree as an international degree, UoT's is best known in US, and McGill is best known to Europe.

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gobears

Oh that's really interesting! Thanks. Do prospective law students then usually just choose the school that's closest to them, in their area or region, since reputation or "prestige" doesn't seem to be as big of a factor as it is here in the US (which is a good thing, I think!), instead of bothering to move far away? Or would they still move if they got into like the UoT and didn't live in or near Toronto? That's really interesting though how it works over there, I gotta say. Thanks for the info.

Oh that's really interesting! Thanks. Do prospective law students then usually just choose the school that's closest to them, in their area or region, since reputation or "prestige" doesn't seem to be as big of a factor as it is here in the US (which is a good thing, I think!), instead of bothering to move far away? Or would they still move if they got into like the UoT? That's really interesting though how it works over there, I gotta say. Thanks for the info.

It depends. UoT _is_ more selective, although not really by THAT much, so not everyone can go to UoT although not everyone can go anywhere. I don't know if everyone is interested in UoT. I know that I am not the only one that thinks their tuition is ridiculous and their marketing pompous. I have no intention of paying that much more for a legal education.

I would say regional preferences play a big role especially since most lawyers going to school end up practicing within one hour of their law school. Now, that's not necessarily the case always, especially I suspect in Ontario.

I don't know where most people go. I am in the process of deciding whether I wish to move out of province for three years and get major $$$ or stay here with my family and get not nearly as much $$$ from schools (Ontario universities are broke).

UBC and UVic why so high? Both get less corp law OCIs than UT and Osdooge, both have a very limited profile outside of Canada (excep Asia; everywhere else Mcgill and UT are king), both have endowments that pale in comparison to UT and Osgoode, and UBC facilities from what I've seen last summer are horrid. Sorry to sound harsh, but I am just interested. How are these rankings done?

well, one i have UT ranked #1 ... and I think it is way ahead of everything else. Yes, I go to UofT, but honestly, I hate the school ... and I won't be going there for law school. However, it is the best law school in the country by far (based on admission standards/international profile/class profile and its alummni/professor base) ...

As for the other schools,

I have UBC ahead of Osgoode for a number of reasons. I don't really think international reputation is important because both are law schools. If you study BC law, that's where you are practicing. If you want to practice internationally, go to an international school.

I think Osgoode is over-shadowed by UofT which really hurts its placement at the big firms in Toronto. Any Bay St. company would take a UofT grad over an Osgoode grad. As per UBC, they have an exceptional rep. out west and I enjoy the community/university life/pretty much everything about UBC better than I do that of York. Plus York has the strangest policies about everything which has really soured my opinion on them as a university.

UVic ahead of Mcgill because ... well, I hate Mcgill. I'm sure it's a good school. You're taught in french (some classes anyways) which renders anything you learn in those classes pretty much useless in any other area of the country. Mcgill has a high international rep., but in my opinion, it isn't warrented.

well, one i have UT ranked #1 ... and I think it is way ahead of everything else. Yes, I go to UofT, but honestly, I hate the school ... and I won't be going there for law school. However, it is the best law school in the country by far (based on admission standards/international profile/class profile and its alummni/professor base) ...

As for the other schools,

I have UBC ahead of Osgoode for a number of reasons. I don't really think international reputation is important because both are law schools. If you study BC law, that's where you are practicing. If you want to practice internationally, go to an international school.

I think Osgoode is over-shadowed by UofT which really hurts its placement at the big firms in Toronto. Any Bay St. company would take a UofT grad over an Osgoode grad. As per UBC, they have an exceptional rep. out west and I enjoy the community/university life/pretty much everything about UBC better than I do that of York. Plus York has the strangest policies about everything which has really soured my opinion on them as a university.

UVic ahead of Mcgill because ... well, I hate Mcgill. I'm sure it's a good school. You're taught in french (some classes anyways) which renders anything you learn in those classes pretty much useless in any other area of the country. Mcgill has a high international rep., but in my opinion, it isn't warrented.

Osgoode is actually the third highest sender of its students to foreign jobs. 1st is McGill, 2nd is UofT. BTW, Osgoode is not really trailing all that significantly behind.

York _does_ have the strangest policies about everything, I can't dispute that.

UofT is certainly #1 as a whole. Still, so many things bother me about them I just can't apply. Tuition is simply ridiculous. I mean, come on. And, perhaps my second biggest pet peeve is actually the switch to a JD degree. Pffft!

Well, like I said, I wasn't really factoring in International rep./placement. I don't think its very important when assessing a law school. As a percentage of graduates, I'm sure the number of students which go on to work abroad is extremely small and really shouldn't be factored into the quality of a school. Plus, how does international rep. effect the quality of a law school?

I don't know what UofT's tuition is...but again, I don't think it should factor into an opinion of the quality of UofT. Anyways, in general, most canadian law schools are very close in terms of quality and arguing over which one is second best seems pointless.